What has eyes around your house but can fit in the palm of your hand? The Kuna app.
Kuna is an app-based home security platform that uses Maximus cameras. It connects to a handful of smart lights, video doorbells, and cameras that protect the outside of your home. From the Kuna app, you can view a live feed, download clips, speak through your cameras, and trigger alarms.
Kuna is an app that connects to a handful of compatible devices like outdoor lights, outdoor cameras, and video doorbells. It’s like a remote control for your Maximus camera.
From the app, you can answer callers at your front door or catch action outside your house in real time.
The cameras and devices themselves aren’t from Kuna. The app is more like the glue that holds them together. While you can’t get a Kuna camera, you can get a Maximus camera that’s compatible with Kuna.
Apps in home security are nothing new. But Kuna is unique because the app and the devices aren’t from the same company.
The Kuna app works with a small selection of cameras and video doorbells from Maximus. But the app is where the action happens. We’ll walk you through some things you can do from your Kuna app.
Like other apps for Wi-Fi connected cameras, you can control lights and cameras through your Kuna app. Set timers, adjust brightness, and zoom in or out from your phone.
As long as you have access to Wi-Fi, you can drop in and watch live video feed from your house. Check on your dog in your backyard, make sure the package on your porch is still there, or keep an eye on the garage.
If you catch something notable like someone snooping in your yard or swiping a package, you can download the clip from the app and keep the evidence.
The Kuna app also gives you quick access to 911 for big emergencies like break-ins or fires.
When your camera catches activity or someone rings your doorbell camera, the device will send a notification straight to your phone. Kuna allows the video feed to pop up on your home screen, so you won’t have to unlock your phone to react. You can snooze the alert or play a pre-recorded message if you’re busy.
Unfortunately for Android users, this is an iPhone-only feature.
Kuna works with popular smart speakers like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. When someone comes to the door or triggers a camera, your smart speaker will announce it.
Kuna also has Kuna AI, a slick machine-learning program that reduces false alarms. It recognizes regular visitors (like delivery people) rather than just detecting motion. And, if you live on a busy street, you can set motion zones to avoid irrelevant motion triggering the camera.
Kuna Premium is an optional subscription through Kuna. You don’t have to pay for the Kuna app, but if you want to support multiple cameras or use bonus features like unlimited downloads and Kuna AI in your app, you’ll need to pay for a Premium subscription.
Kuna has three tiers to its subscription with each throwing in a little extra. You can pay monthly (shown below) or annually to save 33%.
Info current as of 03/01/21. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
If you already have the Kuna app or a Kuna-compatible camera, you can try the 14-day trial for free and give it a spin.
The Maximus Camera Floodlight sports two bright lights with a camera mounted in between. If you have an area of your house that gets foot traffic without much light, that’s a prime spot for a floodlight like this one. We recommend it for outside garages, sheds, backyards, or the side of your house.
Home Depot sells the Maximus Camera Floodlight for about $100 less than Ring’s floodlight camera.
The Maximus Camera Floodlight has an impressive motion-detection range and captures live feed in 1080p HD video. It catches motion 270° around it.
The dual lights at the top produce up to 2400 lumens, about the same as two car headlights. And with color night vision and two-way talk, you can see and speak directly to whoever or whatever triggered the motion.
If you aren’t home or available to talk through the camera floodlight, you can play pre-recorded messages to scare off any would-be intruders and let them know someone’s watching.
We did a double take when we saw this video doorbell because it has two (count ‘em, two) cameras built into it. The top 1080p camera greets visitors while the second 720p camera watches your packages.
The camera feed in the Kuna app shows a split screen that combines the footage from both cameras. If you’ve had issues with porch pirates, this video doorbell may be your new secret weapon.
Admittedly, it’s not as pretty as other doorbell cameras, but its dual vision makes up for its looks. After all, it’s personality that really matters.
Like all Kuna-compatible devices, you’ll control this video doorbell through the Kuna app. On the live stream, you’ll see 180° around the camera (about the same as the human eye). Plus, you can zoom in and out to catch finer details.
The Maximus Answer DualCam Video Doorbell also has night vision and a light at the bottom to illuminate packages and help you see deliveries clearer. It’s a handy feature if you get a package while you’re out of town and want to keep an eye on your delivery until you get back.
The Maximus video doorbell offers pre-roll footage too, a premium feature you’d have to pay for with Ring. It starts recording before the action starts, giving you a little more context for your clips.
The doorbell is wired, so you’d need an existing setup to get this camera up and running. If you already have a standard doorbell, it’s a good deal. You won’t have to fuss with batteries, and the camera can run continuously. If your home doesn’t already have doorbell wiring, this isn’t the best pick for you.
The Kuna app can walk you through installation, but if you have other questions, the website has installation help.
Want more video doorbell camera options (with and without wires)? We highlighted the best for you in our best video doorbell cameras review.
While researching Kuna, we encountered some confusing territory. The website has a Help Center and FAQ with some basic information about the cameras, installation, and app navigation.
The Kuna app works with cameras from other companies, so reaching customer service is a little confusing. And, while there’s no phone line for Kuna, we did find numbers for the camera manufacturers. But when we called the line, we didn’t get very far. The number on the website didn’t lead to the company we wanted.
To reach Kuna directly, you’ll have to use the email form on the website. We gave it a try and got a response three days later.
While the Kuna app and the products it works with seem high quality, our customer service experience wasn’t.
Kuna only works with a handful of devices from Maximus that offer a lot of options for customization, easy installation, and easy use. It’s an affordable, low-commitment option for anyone who wants a camera-only line of security outside their home.
What we like about Kuna:
That said, we’d like to see more variety in camera types and devices. Sensors and a full security system from Kuna would really turn our heads.
Check out our favorite DIY home security systems for more options.
No subscription is required to use the Kuna app or any of its cameras. But Kuna Premium does offer unlimited video-clip downloads, Kuna AI, and personal greetings if you opt for the service.
Kuna works with different cameras, so resetting yours will depend on which one you have. Many security cameras have a small pinhole with a reset button inside. We recommend checking the manual for your particular camera to learn more about resetting it.
Kuna uses your home Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology to connect your phone to the camera outside your house. By using both these connections, you’ll get a stronger audio and video feed on your phone and control the cameras and lights more easily.
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